Gobble that meal at your own risk

Argument to eat slow bolstered by hormone research

The next time you eat, try putting your fork (or spoon) down after you take a bite of food, and don't pick it up again until you've swallowed. This is a nearly impossible task for some, but it should help you to see just how strong your desire to shovel your meal has become.

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'You eat too fast! What's the rush? Slow down!"

Words your mother likely uttered on more than one occasion, but words that you probably ignored, nonetheless. Odds are, if you're like many people nowadays, slowing down your eating ranks about as high on your to-do list as organizing your old recipe cards and darning your socks. Nice in theory, but unrealistic.

You've probably heard -- or realized -- that eating quickly makes you more likely to overeat, and there's also the old adage that it takes 20 minutes to feel full. But now, Greek researchers have published one of the first studies to examine the effect eating quickly has on hormones produced by your digestive system. And it turns out that, once again, your mother was right. (And if she's right about that, then how many other things could she also know? The potential is mid-boggling.)

THE SCIENCE OF FAST EATING

In the Greek study, which was published last month in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 17 male subjects were given just over one cup of ice cream and asked to eat it in either five or 30 minutes (if you're asking where you can sign up to eat ice cream in the name of science, you're not alone). A variety of hormones that indicate hunger and fullness, as well as perceptions of satiety (fullness) were monitored for several hours after the ice cream was consumed.

The results? The slow eaters produced more of the compounds -- known as peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1 for those keeping score -- that are associated with fullness, and also rated their satiety higher than those who scarfed down their food.

So according to this one study, eating slowly increases the production of hormones and other substances that make us feel full. But what about actual food intake? Does eating slowly help you to eat less, and by extension, lose weight? According to at least one study -- which doesn't exactly make it definitive, but you've got to start somewhere -- that just might be the case.

In this second study, conducted by nutrition researchers at the University of Rhode Island, 30 healthy women were given two meals, and told to eat as much as they wanted. In one case, they were asked to eat slowly, and the next time, faster. When the two meals were compared, the slow eaters ate an average of 66 calories less than the fast eaters, and they also drank more water. Even though they ate less food, the slow eaters also reported feeling more full, and they seemed to find the meal more pleasant (though the results for pleasantness didn't quite reach statistical significance).

GOBBLING: NOT JUST TURKEYS ANYMORE

Why do we eat so quickly? It's difficult to point to a single cause, but there are a number of potential suspects, be it behaviour learned from our parents, or the result of sibling rivalry for the biggest slice of cake. Perhaps it's ingrained, the result of thousands of years of fighting for food, or maybe it's a consequence of eating while distracted, in front of the TV or computer, in the car or in a meeting.

While getting a handle on fast eating ultimately means you need to examine -- and possibly overhaul -- your entire lifestyle, here are a few tips to get you started:

Don't start your meals starving

If you're not a snacker, but you have a hard time controlling portions at meal time, try a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts mid-afternoon, or even an hour or so before dinner. Nuts have a natural appetite-suppressing effect that can help you eat a little less without feeling like you're making a sacrifice. They're also a source of protein (as are yogourt, cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, beans, lentils and chick peas, tofu and meats), which helps you to feel full. Fruit, on the other hand, provides energy from carbohydrates, along with a bevy of vitamins and minerals, yet has a relatively minor impact on blood sugar. Combining a protein and high quality carbohydrates can leave you feeling more satisfied, making you better able to keep yourself in check at your next meal.

Reduce distractions

It might be asking a lot to break the habit of eating in front of the tube, or at the computer -- put that sandwich down, by the way -- but there is good evidence that distracted eating equals overeating. Try the old fashioned system of eating at a table, be it a cafeteria at work, the kitchen table at home, or even your desk -- but try to shut down email, hang up the phone and take it easy for a couple of minutes.

Put your fork down between bites

The next time you eat, try putting your fork (or spoon) down after you take a bite of food, and don't pick it up again until you've swallowed. This is a nearly impossible task for some, but it should help you to see just how strong your desire to shovel your meal has become.

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The next time you eat, try putting your fork (or spoon) down after you take a bite of food, and don't pick it up again until you've swallowed. This is a nearly impossible task for some, but it should help you to see just how strong your desire to shovel your meal has become.

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